GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Sep 9, 2026
Driver shortage
Driver shortage describes the structural gap between vacant professional driver positions and the qualified people actually available to fill them.
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Source: https://www.iru.org/intelligence/road-transport-intelligence/global-driver-shortage-report-2025
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Logistics Concept
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Definition & Explanation
Driver shortage describes the structural gap between vacant professional driver positions and the qualified people actually available to fill them. According to the International Road Transport Union (IRU) Global Driver Shortage Report 2025, around 502,000 truck driver positions were unfilled in Europe in 2025, roughly 13 percent of the workforce; globally the gap stood at about 2.9 million positions, or eleven percent. Two-thirds of surveyed European operators turned down new contracts as a result. The drivers are demographic – the average age of European truck drivers is 48 and only five percent are 24 or younger – alongside working conditions, a lack of secure parking and the effort required to obtain professional qualifications. For shippers and forwarders this is not merely an HR issue but a capacity risk: an available truck does not mean an available driver.
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